Red Cross says blood supply at 'emergency levels'

The American Red Cross says its blood supply has reached "emergency levels," and has put out a call for donors in advance of the July Fourth holiday.

Nationally, there were 50,000 fewer donors in June than expected, the Red Cross said Monday, and it has only about half the blood supply on hand as it did this time last year.

In Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, donations and blood supplies are also down, but not as dramatically, according Sue Gonsior, spokeswoman for the Mid-American Blood Services Division. Locally, she said, the blood inventory is down about 33 percent.

To schedule a donation, go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.

--MAURA LERNER